PREECEVILLE-The Preeceville and District Heritage Museum held an opening day tea to welcome visitors for another season of sharing and reminiscing on May 24. Board members served a pineapple upside down cake or strawberry angel food cake and refreshments to its visitors on the opening day.
The museum was a dream come true for members of the Preeceville Historical Society. The museum opened its doors on June 15, 2006. It had previously opened for two weeks in 2005 as a trial run and was met with much success, stated organizers.
The original building that had been designated for the museum was the old station house but when the old Preeceville nurses residence became available the museum members made the decision to utilize it. The board approached the Town of Preeceville with wanting to spearhead a heritage project that would mark the provincial centennial. The project would be a heritage museum with the old nurses residence building utilized as part of the project. The ownership of the building remained as the Town of Preeceville property but the project was run by the board.
The nurses’ residence building was originally built in 1940 at Yorkton and had served as a dormitory for pilots in the Commonwealth Pilot Training Program during the Second World War, stated the Preeceville history book. Young men from all over the British Commonwealth had come to Yorkton to learn to fly before they were sent overseas. The pilots served in The Battle of Britain and Europe or as bomber pilots who became part of Bomber Command that disabled the Nazi war machine.
After the war, the buildings were empty and were offered to any community that needed them. The nurses and matrons of the old hospital had accommodations all over the Town of Preeceville so the hospital board decided to apply for the pilot quarters. In 1948, the buildings were brought to Preeceville in sections and placed on a full basement that was constructed prior to the arrival of the sections.
The building was heated by steam heat and provided adequate housing for nurses, nurses aides, matrons and other hospital personnel until 1970. Afterwards the rental suites were occupied by the public with office spaces also rented out, stated the history book.
A museum board was established in 2004/2005 and worked through the year at setting up the museum.
The original museum board consisted of the original Preeceville Historical Society members: Joe Oxley, president; Lorne Plaxin, vice-president; Gladys Myhr, treasurer; Lorna Brodziak, secretary; along with Cas Godfrey, Joyce Gulka and Mary Petrowski. Other individuals who joined the museum board were Pat Osatiuk and Nellie Long.
At the first meeting of the museum board held June 1, 2004, the new executive was elected. Throughout the years the museum has hosted numerous events for the community including chili and bread day during Old Home Week held in July and a car show and shine with an 80's theme and a supply of homemade clay oven baked bread and cinnamon buns for the public to purchase.
The board now consists of only six members: Agnes Murrin, Sharon Draper, Donna Chalupiak, Sharon Prystay, Darlene Medlang, and Joan Peel. Jillian Newton is the museum curator.
